The present invention relates to an aerosurface deployment system and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method utilizing aerodynamic forces to effect and control deployment of pivotal aerosurface elements mounted on missiles and the like.
Rockets, missiles and like vehicles conventionally are provided with aerosurfaces, such as fins or wings for example, for stabilizing and controlling flight through the atmosphere. It is obvious that such laterally extending stabilizing aerosurfaces pose problems of space requirements and drag when the vehicle is stowed and carried by aircraft. In order to avoid these disadvantages, current missile designs employ aerosurfaces which are retractably mounted or folded adjacent the missile fuselage or body while stowed for storage and deployed upon launching for extending the fins into their operative flight positions.
Various aerosurface deployment mechanisms are known which use complex mechanical arrangements, springs, centrifugal force, or a combination of these mechanisms, to effect extensions of the stabilizing fins into flight positions. Such prior art devices are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,925,966 and 3,273,500 to Kongelbeck and U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,281 to Gohlke. While these known fin deployment arrangements have merit and are suited for their intended purpose, they possess certain disadvantages. For example, they often require complexly configurated components and connecting attachments which are expensive, cumbersome, promote drag, are vulnerable to jamming, and present problems in fabrication and assembly, sometimes requiring an inventory of a large number of different parts. Moreover, the high angular rate of deployment of such aerosurfaces results in an enormous, if not intolerable, end-of-stroke arresting load that could incur severe damage to the aerosurfaces.